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' RAILROAD SWITCH. No. 256,798. Patented Apr. 18, 1882.

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' J. GRAY & W. HOLLENBAGK.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

No. 256,798. Patented Apr. 18,1882.

' UNITED STATES PATENT -OFFI CE.

JOSIAH GRAY AND WESLEY HOLLENBAUK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGN- OBS TO THEMSELVES, OONNELL B. SHEFLER, AND JACOB R. REED, ALL

OF SAME PLACE.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,798, dated April 18, 1882. Application filcdJannary 11,1882. (Nomodelj To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOSIAH GRAY and WESLEY HOLL'ENBAGK, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have iny vented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Switches; and we do hereby tieclare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters IQ of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in railroad-switches; and it has fori's objects to providea switch which will be prachad to the accompanying drawings, in which--- K Figure 1 is a plan view of the switch and its stand. Fig. '2 is a detail view of the switch stand, showing its connection with one of the switch-rails B of the main track. Fig. 3 is a plan' view, showing a modification of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the switch-stand of Fig. 3. Fig. his a crossseetion through Fig. 1, taken in the plane indicated by dotted line 3 y thereon. Fig. 6 is a cross-section 0 through Fig. 1,in the plane indicated by dotted line mm. Fig. 7 is alongitudinal section through part of Fig. 1, in the plane indicated bydotted line 2 z, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 8 is a top view in detail of Fig. 1, showing the spring U.

The letter A indicates the sleepers or crossties, which are laid upon the roadbed in the usual manner, and B B indicate the rails of the main track. The said main rails at that 0 portion forming the switch-sections are bolted or otherwise secured at their extremities to the sleepers, as indicated by the letter O, the intermediate portions being left unfastened in order that the rails may spring laterally, as

5 more fully hereinafter specified.

I in a metallic bar or block, E, which is firmly spiked or bolted to the sleepers on which it rest-s, and also to a broad sleeper, F, which maybe extended out and form part of the switch-stand G, so as to be practically immovable under ordinary circumstances. The inner rail of the side track is beveled to an edge at its extremity, as indicated by the letter H, and

the top of this rail is level with the tops ofthe main-track rails. The switch end of the outer rail, D, of the side track is higher than the tops of the main-track railssa y about two and a quarter inches-and this end of the said rail abuts against the highest end of the block or bar E, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7, which latter inclines to a point, where it is level with its adjacent main-track rail. The main rails are connected at suitable points between the sleepers or ties by means of a series of metallic ties or braces, H, so that the said rails will move together and always be parallelwith each other.

The letter I indicates a movable guard-rail secured to two of the movable ties H.- The said guard-rail is located inside of the outer main rail, and obliquely thereto, as indicated in the drawings. The guard-rail I is provided with a broad base, K, which has a beveled recess, L, at one edge, which engages the beveled end of the inner side rail when the track is in normal position. The said guard-rail is beveled or inclined downwardly laterally toward the main rail in order to cause the wheels of the car to travel to the main rail while passing along said guard-rail. (Shown in Fig. 5.)

The letter Gr indicates the switch stand, which consists of a metallic frame, having fulcrum-bearing N for the switch-lever O, and a bifurcation, M, in which the upper part of the said lever is adapted to be locked when necessary. The switch-lever O connects with one of the main rails by means of a bifurcated link, P, the arms of which are pivoted at their ends to said lever O, which they embrace. The link 1? is pivoted to a short slide, S, Whicl1 is secured to one of the main-track rails B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The bifurcated arm of the switch-stand is provided with a beveled catch or detent, T, which is secured to said arm by a fragile pin, q, that will break and give way when subjected to an unusual strain, for the'purpose hereinafter specified.

The letter U indicates a spring secured to one of the members of the bifurcated arm of the switch-standard for automatically throwing the lever into engagement with the detent or-catch when the lever is drawn back.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and at of the drawings two sets of siding-rails, similar to those above described, are employed, the said siding-rails being so located as to switch the cars to either side of the track, the main rails in this instance being adapted to move laterally in either direction, in order to connect with the siding-rails at either side, as may he desired. Two guard-rails may be employed in this modification, which guard-rails v niay be similar in construction and arrangewent to the aforementioned single guard-rail. In the modification the switch-standard is in the form of two parallel segments, between which the switch-lever is adapted to play, and

- I 'on-eof the said segments is provided with three notches, with which is adapted to engage a bolt, A adapted to slide in suitable ways on the switch-lever, and operated by a lever, B,

and spring 0, to lock and unlock the switchlever in either-of its three different positions, as required. I As thus constructed, the rails of the main track are actually continuous and unbroken, and derailment by running off the track at a misplaced switch can never occur.

- I When the switch is set to run a train upon a side track, if a train should approach upon the main line in an opposite direction, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 it-would simply shift the main rails to their normal posi-tions,as the J flanges of the wheels onthe right-hand side passing between the main rail and the adjacent siding-rail would create such a strain upon the bolt holding the detent or catch as to break it and release the switch-lever and permit it to drop. Henceit will be perceived that it will 2. In combination with-the laterally-movable spring-sections of the main-track rails and the fixed siding-rails, the switch-stand, its lever,the connections between said lever and the said laterally-movable sections, the detent or catch for holding the lever, the fragile pin or bolt q, and a spring, U, substantially as de scribed.

3. In combination with the continuous maintrack rails, adapted to spring laterally, and their operating mechanism, the sidingq'ails, constructed as described, the outer one terminating in an inclined block and theinner one in a beveled edge, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the main-track rails, adaptedto spring laterally, the inner sidingrail, beveled as described, the inclined block E, and a switch-stand provided with a bifurcated arm having a beveled catch or detent and a spring, the whole arranged to operate as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAH GRAY. WESLEY HOLLENBAGK.

Witnesses: 

